Electrical system



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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH N. MAHONEY. OF WILKINSBURG, AND WALTER H. AUSTIN, OF SWISSVALE,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS T WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTUR- INGCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

- Application filed August a, 1916. Serial No. 117,666.

[0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Josnru N. MAuoXEY, a citizen of the l'nited States,and a resident of "ilkinsburg. in the county of Alleghen and State ofPennsylvania, and 'ALTER 1 Au 'rix, a citizen of the l'nited States, anda resident of Swiss-vale. in the count of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, lia'ie iuxentcd a new and useful Improvement in Electricall, Systems, of which the following specification is a. continuation inpart of Pat out No. 1.27%,967, issued Sept. 17. 1918.

Our invention relates to electrical systems and devices and particularlyto means for automatically connecting feeder circuits together, underpredetermined conditions.

)ue object of our invention is to provide a system of theabove-indicated character that shall have means dependent upon the sumof the voltages of the circuitsthat are to he connected together forcontrolling the opening and closing of the connection be tween the same.

Another object of our invention is to proide means whereby the limitin"resistance, that is connected in series with t 1e actuating and holdingwindings of the connecting circuit interrupter, is adapted to beshortcirruited only when the lnterrupter is being closed.

In the, car ring out of our invention, we provide a cu "lit interrupterfor operatively connecting two feeder circuits together and means for socontrolling the interrupter that the circuits will be connected togetheronly when the sum of the voltages on the two circuils exceed apimleterl'uined value. Means is also provid d whereby the limitingresistor. that is connected in series with the actuating winding of theinterrupter, is adspted to be slnn't-l'irclllted on] when theinterrupter is being closed. T nus, only a relatively small currenttraverses the actuating winding when the interrupter is in its fullopenand in its closed position.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a diagrammatic view of anelectrical circuit en'ihodying our invention, and Fi s. 2, 3, 4, I and 6are diagrammatic views of electrlcal i-ir'r-uils embodying modifiedforms of our invention.

Two feeder conductors 1 and 2, having a common return conductor 3, areadapted to be operatively connected together by a. cir- Speciflcation ofLetters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

cuit interrupter 4 when the sum 01 um witages between the feederconductors and the common return conductor exceeds a predeterminedvalue.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, the circuit interrupter 4 comprises mainstationary contact members 5 and 6. a main bridging contact member 7, atoggle mechanism 8, an actuating electromagnet 9, an auxiliarystationary contact member 10, an auxiliary movable contactmember 11 anda. limiting resistor 12. A relay 13,comprising-a movable core member 14,two windings 15 and 16, a movable bridging contact member 17 andstationary contact members 18, is provided for the purpose ofcontrolling the circuit of the actuating electromagpct 9. One terminalof the winding 15 is connected, through a resistor 19, to the feederconductor 2, and the other termiualof the Winding 15 is connected to theconductor 3. One terminal of the winding 1'6 is connected, throu h aresistor 20, to the conductor 1 and t eother terminal of the winding 16is connected to the common return conductor 3.

The windings 15 and 16 of the relay 13 are so proportioned that themovable bridging contact member will en age the stationary contactmembers 18 on y when the sum of the voltage drops between the feederconductors l and 2 and the common return conductor 3 exceeds apredetermined value. W hen this occurs, current is ermitted to traversethe winding of the e ectromugnet 9, and the circuit interrupter 4 isclosed. The contact members 10 and 11 constitute the separable terminalsof a short-circuit connection across the terminals of the re-- sister 12and are so arranged that, when the circuit interrupter 4 is closed, theyare disengaged to there )y limit the current'that traverses the windingof the electroma et 9.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings,the wlnding of the actuating electromagnet 9is connected in series with the limiting resistor 12 and the circuit,thus constituted, is so connected to two resistors 19 and 20 that thewinding of the electromagnet 9 will be supplied with currentproportional to the sum of the voltage dro 5 across the feederconductors 1 and 2 and t a common return conductor 3. The circuitinterru ter 4 is provided with an auxiliary [nova le contact member 11that is adapted to engage auxiliary stationary contact members 10 forthe urpose of shortcircuiting the resistor 12 w en the circuitinterrupter 4 is in its openposition, thereby permitting sufficientcurrent to traverse the 6 winding of the electromagnet 9 to actuate thecircuit interrupter 4 when the sum of the volta e drops is aredetermined value.

In i 3 of the rawings, one terminal of the win ing of the actuatingelectromagnet 9 of the circuit interrupter 4 is connected to oneterminal of the resistors 19 and 20 and its other terminal is connectedto the conductor 3. The other terminals of the resistors 19 and 20 areconnected to the conductors 1 and 2, respectively. With such anarrangement, the winding of the electromagnet 9 is supplied with currentproportional to the sum of the volta e drops across the feederconductors l and 2 and the return conductor 3, but no means is rovidedfor limiting the amount of current t lat traverses the winding of theelectromagnet 9 when the circuit interrupter 4 is in its open or in itsclosed position.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings, one terminal of the winding of theclectromagnet 9 is con iiected to the conductor 2 and its other terminalis connected to the stationary contact member 21 of a relay 22. Oneterminal of the winding 23 of the rela 22 is connected to one terminalof each the resistors 19 and 2(), the other terminals of which areconnected to the conductors l and 2, res ectively. The other terminal ofthe win ing 23 i connected to a stationary contact matinber 24 and alsoto the common return conductor 3. The stationary contact members 21 and24 of the relay 22 are adapted to be bridged by a movable contact member25 when the sum of the voltage drops across the feeder conductors 1 and2 and the return conductor 3 exceeds a predetermined value. Thus, thewinding of the electromagnet 9 will be supplied with energy only whenthe relay 22 is closei'l.

Since it is advisable to limit the current in the actuating windinof-the circuit'interrupter when the circuit interrupter is in its openand closed positions and to permit a maximum current to traverse thewindin only when the interrupter is being closer, we provide the circuitinterrupter .4, as shown in Fig. of the drawings, with two auxiliarymovable contact members 26 and 55 27 that are adapted to engagestationary contact members 28 and 29 and'30 and 31, respectively. Theactuating eleetromagnet 9 comprises two windings 32 and 33. One terminalof the winding 33 is connected to the conductor 2 and the other terminalof the winding 33 is connected to one terminal of a resistor 34One-terminal of the winding 32 is connected to the conductor 1 and theother terminal of the winding 32 is connected to 65 one terminal of aresistor 35. The other terminals of the resistors 34 and 35 areconnected together and to the stationary contact member 36 of a relay3?. The stationary contact member 36 i also connected to one terminal ofthe winding 38 of the relay 37 the other terminal 'of which is connectedto the conductor 3. The stationary contact member 31, of the circuitinterrupter 4 is, connected to the stationary contact member 39 of therelay 37 and the stationary contact member 28 of the circuit interrupter4 is connected to the stationary contact member 40 of the relay 37. Thestationary contact members 29 and 30 of the circuit interru ter 4 areconnected to one terminal of the wmd- R0 ings 32 and 33, respectively.The relay 37 is provided with a bridging contact member 41 that isadapted to engage the stationary contact members 36, 39 and 40 when thesum of the voltage drops across the feeder conductors 1 and 2 and thereturn conductor 3 exceeds a predetermined value.

As shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, when the sum of the voltages isbelow a predetermined value, the windings 32 and 33 will not besufficiently energized to hold the main contact members of the circuitinterrupter 4 in their closed positions, and the resistors 31 and 35will be connected in circuit with the respective windings of theactuating electromagnet 9. However, when the interrupter 4 is open, thebridging contact members 26 and 27 engage their respective stationarycontact members in such manner that, when the relay 37 is againactuated, the resistors 34, and 35 will be short-circuited, andsufficient current will be permitted to "traverse the windin 32 and 33to close the interrupter 4. when the interrupter 4 is closed, thebridging contact members 26 and 27 are disengaged from their respectivestationary contact members, and the short-circuit connections across theterminals of the resistors 34 and 35 are opened, thereby reducing thecurrent that traverses the windings 32 and 33. i

In Fig. 6 of the drawings, the electromagnet 9 is provided with a singlewinding, one terminal of which is connected .to one terminal of thewinding 42 of the relay 43 and the other terminal of the rela isconnectedto the conductor 3. The re ay 43 is adapted to cause itsmovable bridging contact member 44 to engage its stationary'contactmembers 45 for effectin a short-circuit connection around the terminalsof the resistor 12 only when the interrupter 4 isopen and the'sum of thevoltage dro s across the feeder conductors 1 and 2 an the returnconductor 3 exceeds a predetermined value. The interrupter 4 is provi edWith an aux; iliary bridging contact member 11 and auxiliary statlonarycontact members; 10 for opening the short-circuit connectionf as soon asthe interrupter is closed. thereby reducinell ia a the current thattraverses the winding of the electromagnet 9 when the interrupter is inits closed position.

'We do not limit our invention to the articular structures andarrangements ilustrated, as it may be variously modified within thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a; system of distribution, the combination? with two feederconductors, a

common return conductor, and a circuit interrupter for operativ vconnecting the feeder conductors togeti. r, of means actuated under allconditions, in a ordain-e with the sum of the voltage drop ,{between therespective feeder conductors and the return conductor for controllingthe opening and closing of the circuit interrupter.

2. In a system of distribution, the comhination with a circuitinterrupter and an actuating elcctromagnet therefor, of a resistor, andmeans for so controlling the effectiveness of the resistor in thecircuit that it limits the current traversing the electroma rnet onlywhen the interrupter is in its ful -o ion and in its closed position.

n a system of distribution, the combination with n circuit interrupter,an actuating and holding, electromagnet therefor and a resistoroperatively connected in circuit with the said electromagnet, of meansfor shortcircuiting the resistor only when the circuit interrupter isbeing closed.

4. The combination with two i'ecder conductors, a common returnconductor, and a circuit i ntcrrupter for connecting the feederconductors together, of an actuating electromagnct responsive, under allconditions. to the sum of the voltage drops between the i'ccdcrconductors and the return conductor for controlling the operation of theinterrupter.

.531 a system of distribution, the combination with two feederconductors, a common return conductor, and a circuit interrupter foroperatively connecting the two i'ccdcr conductors together, of means forclosing the interrupter and for holding it in its closed position, andmeans responsive, under all conditions, to the sum of'the Yoltage dropsbetween the two i'ecdcr conductors and the common return conductor forcontrolling the operation of the said closing and holding means.

6. In a system of distribution, the combination with two feederconductors, a common return conductor, end a, circuit interrupteropcratively connecting the two feeder conductors together, ofelectromagnptic means for closingand holding the interrupter in itsclosed position, and means responsive, under all conditions, to the sumof the voltage drops across thetwo feeder conductors and the returnconductor for so con trolling the operation of the electromagnetic meansthat the interrupter will be held in its closed position only when thesum of the voltage drops exceeds a predetermined value,

7. In a system of distribution, the comhinution with two feederconductors and a common return conductor, of a circuit interrupter res)onsive, under all conditions, to the sum of the voltage drops acrossthe two feeder conductors and the return conductor for operativelyconnecting the feeder conductors together, under predeterminedconditions.

8. In a system of distribution, the combination with two feedercircuits, of means responsive, under all conditions, to the sum of thevoltage drops across the two circuits for opcratii'ely, connecting thecircuits together only when the sum of the voltage lll'flllh exceeds apredetermined value.

5). In a circuit interrupn-r, the combination with an actuatingelectromagnet and a resistor for reducing the current traversing thesame. of means for short-circuiting the stor only when the interrupteris being closed.

11). In a circuit interrupter, the combination with an actuatingelectromagnet and a resistor normally connected in series therewith. ofmeans for obliterating the limiting effect of the resistor on theelectromagnet only when the interrupter is being actuated.

In tcstimonym'hercof we have hereunto subscribed our names this 22nd dayof Aug, i916.

JOSEPH N. MAHONEY. WALTER M. AUSTIN

